In this engaging episode of Get Your Fill: Financial Independence and Long Life, wealth advisor Tiffany Irving shares practical insights on launching a business and achieving financial security. She introduces her "three P's" framework—prepare, plan, and protect—emphasizing the need to analyze cash flow, savings, and revenue timelines before taking the entrepreneurial leap, yet warns against analysis paralysis that prevents action. Irving stresses that starting a business involves emotional and financial risk, especially transitioning from steady W-2 income, but highlights the personal growth and passion that drive success, even if initial ventures fail. She encourages thoughtful preparation combined with a willingness to pivot and embrace the "leap of faith" required for great opportunities.Irving opens up about her passion for empowering women financially, drawing from her own experience as a female breadwinner with a stay-at-home husband. Coming from a blue-collar background where money was rarely discussed, she now champions financial literacy amid the upcoming "great wealth transfer" to women and younger generations. The conversation explores non-traditional family dynamics, including societal judgment faced by stay-at-home dads and the importance of open communication about roles, finances, and expectations in partnerships. Irving notes how her setup challenged gender norms yet allowed presence for their children, ultimately shaping her kids' progressive views on work and family.The episode delves into broader financial mindsets, contrasting scarcity-driven habits from lower-income upbringings with the early education often seen in wealthier families. Irving advocates starting money conversations young—using tools like savings jars—to harness compound interest and build healthy habits. She views money as a tool for pursuing passions and goals, urges listeners to seek education through books, podcasts, and advisors, and reassures that it's never too late to start planning. Embracing failure as a learning step and prioritizing financial confidence, especially for women, emerge as key takeaways for long-term independence and fulfillment.Connect with Tiffany: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyirving/ https://www.mesirow.com/capabilities/wealth-management/irving-teamWatch the video: https://youtu.be/giCqS1OTjIc

Gokce Donat, better known as “Gucci,” accidentally stumbled into real estate development during the 2008 financial crisis when the builder of her own home spotted distressed properties selling for pennies on the dollar. With a master’s in finance, a decisive personality, and some available cash while the rest of the world was frozen, she partnered with her builder and began flipping and building high-end single-family homes. What started as a handshake partnership turned into a successful construction company—she even earned her own builder’s license so her name could be on the finished product—proving that some of the best careers begin with perfect timing and a willingness to jump in.After years of active development and millions tied up in projects, Gokce pivoted post-COVID. Skyrocketing material and labor costs shrank profit margins, so she sold her last spec home and shifted to more passive commercial real estate while keeping a careful eye on risk-reward. Now her biggest passion is empowering women through her company Millionelle (million + “elle”). She’s building a community and app that makes budgeting, investing, and understanding money simple and shame-free—something she wishes she’d been taught earlier, despite growing up with highly educated parents. Her mission: show women that financial independence isn’t nearly as complicated or out-of-reach as it seems in 2025.The conversation is full of hard-won wisdom: track every expense (carrying costs and taxes will eat flips alive), assume the worst-case scenario in your pro formas, and remember that youthful ignorance can sometimes be an advantage—less knowledge means less analysis paralysis. Whether you’re 25 with student loans or 55 with a 401(k) you finally want to put to work, Gokce’s core message is clear: real estate and investing have dozens of entry points (REITs, syndications, direct ownership, or lending), start small, educate yourself, trust but verify every deal, and never forget that if it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is. Above all—whatever you want is possible with the right attitude, daily joy, and forward motion.Connect with Gokce: millionelle.com

In a candid conversation on *Get Your Fill*, leadership coach and author Jennifer Jensen declares that we’re living through a genuine leadership crisis—one most organizations still refuse to acknowledge. She points out the alarming statistic that, even after decades in the workforce, most people can name only one or two truly great leaders they’ve ever had. The post-COVID loss of experienced mentors has only worsened the problem, leaving emerging managers are being promoted without guidance, and mediocre (or outright toxic) leadership is now the norm. The result? Sky-high turnover that costs companies hundreds of thousands—or even millions—per departed senior employee, disengaged teams, and profitability that quietly bleeds away while executives wonder why nothing seems to work.

Jennifer argues that great leadership isn’t mysterious or rare; it boils down to three foundational traits: deep self-awareness, genuine empowerment of others, and the ability to build real trust. Yet most leaders fail the simplest tests—she suggests asking yourself, “Am I delegating or micromanaging?” and “How do I actually behave when I’m under pressure?” Micromanagement, she explains, almost always stems from fear (fear of losing control, fear of being outshone), and it forces leaders to work 40% harder than necessary while driving away talent. The fix isn’t expensive: a modest investment in coaching or psychometric assessments (like 360-degree feedback or behavioral profiles) costs a fraction of what turnover does, and it quickly reveals blind spots. Perhaps the most sobering moment is when she says many dysfunctional teams keep the “wrong” people because they’re comfortable with the existing chaos, while the best employees vote with their feet and leave.

The episode ends on a hopeful, practical note aimed especially at entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who are about to scale. Jennifer urges listeners to decide what legacy they want to leave and then reverse-engineer everything—hiring, culture, processes, and even the courage to fire toxic clients or employees—around that vision. She stresses using tools to hire for cultural fit and complementary strengths from day one, setting crystal-clear expectations, and keeping communication brutally open. Her closing line is gold: “If your organization won’t invest in developing you as a leader, invest in yourself—because no one succeeds alone.” Whether you’re running a company of one or one hundred, the message is clear: authentic, self-aware leadership isn’t optional; in today’s world, it’s the only competitive advantage that actually lasts.Connect with Jennifer: Here is a link to Jennifer's book: https://www.amazon.com/Developing-Authentic-Leaders-Practical-Guide/dp/1779415672 Website: https://authenticleader.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticleader.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/authentic-leader-ca